A milestone development on the way to what is one of the most anticipated new openings of the year as the exteriors have been completed on SHoP’s award-winning 111 West 57th Street supertall tower in Midtown Manhattan. 

Once completed, the building will stand as the second-tallest residential structure in the Western Hemisphere and sit atop the landmark Steinway Hall building, which houses 14 of the 60 total full-floor and duplex residences located within the 1,428-foot-tall development. 

Video courtesy of SHoP Architects.

The exterior is defined by a stepped design that tapers along the south-facing facade as it reaches ever skyward to create a dramatic visual statement in combination with an east-west oriented terra cotta pilaster cladding system and a 300-foot decorative steel crown.

Per the architects: “The intricate façade is designed to be viewed from multiple scales and vantage points: Terra cotta panels with 22 different sets of contours create a sweeping play of shadow and light from the city scale, while their glazed finish contrasts with decorative bronze filigree to provide extraordinary richness from up close.”

This richness is even further embellished with a series of inlaid bronze mullions that accentuate the glass curtain wall made up of oversized floor-to-ceiling panels. The development team, comprised of JDS Development Group, Property Markets Group, and Spruce Capital Partners, hopes to produce some of the best views of New York’s skyline by way of the single-residency floor arrangement and careful selection of materials that embrace the craftsmanship and high quality embodied in the city’s inspirational pre-war skyscrapers.

Finishing touches are set to be wrapped within the next few months. WSP served as the structural engineers for the project, which includes luxury amenities like a swimming pool and interiors from Manhattan-based Studio Sofield. Closings have already begun to take place in both the landmark building and tower allowing its first users to begin occupying the long-awaited development. Archinect will share additional project updates as construction draws to completion.